The Archive

Etymology Journal · S

Straight from the horse's mouth

Meaning

Information that comes directly from the original or most reliable source. It implies that you should trust the news because it bypassed the grapevine.

Authoritative, confident

Used in a sentence

  • I know it is true because I heard it straight from the horse's mouth.
  • If you want the schedule, talk to the manager directly to get it straight from the horse's mouth.
  • She got the job offer straight from the horse's mouth this morning.

The backstory

This refers to checking a horse's teeth to determine its age. Since the horse's mouth is the primary source of the truth about its condition, the phrase was born.

Heard in

Nationwide

Vibe check